#canada

Cape Breton University announced job cuts and tuition increases. This comes amid significant enrollment pressures and revenue loss. The university expects a $77 million revenue loss over three years. This decline is largely due to fewer international students. Seventeen employees are being laid off, and tuition will rise for most programs.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/layoffs-tuition-hikes-planned-cape-breton-university-9.7178460

Behaviour Interactive has faced backlash following a recent round of layoffs that included a senior animator responsible for key work on popular Dead by Daylight characters. The timing of these staff reductions has drawn significant criticism as they occurred just one month before the game's 10th anniversary.

Key issues surrounding the situation include:

Potential Strategic Downsizing: Reports suggest the company may be conducting smaller, staggered layoff rounds to avoid the public and regulatory scrutiny that accompanies larger workforce reductions.
Corporate Expansion vs. Internal Cuts: The studio has continued to acquire other companies, such as Red Hook Studios and The Fun Pi-ps, while simultaneously reducing its own headcount, leading to questions about financial priorities.
Questionable Public Messaging: Criticism has been raised regarding the company's decision to promote a new, paid Rift Pass featuring legendary skins on the same day these layoffs were made public, highlighting a perceived disconnect between commercial activities and the treatment of employees.

Unifor is concerned about recent layoffs at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital. Twenty-seven personal support workers (PSWs) received layoff notices. The hospital plans to hire more registered practical nurses (RPNs). These new hires will not offset the loss of essential PSWs. Unifor believes these cuts will negatively impact patient care and staff.

Tillsonburg, Ontario

https://www.unifor.org/news/all-news/unifor-concerned-announced-psw-layoffs-tillsonburg-district-memorial-hospital

Saskatchewan Polytechnic recently announced further employee layoffs. Thirty full-time and part-time employees were affected. This group included faculty, professional services, and out-of-scope staff. The institution cited an annual operational review for these decisions. Challenges in the international education sector also contributed to the layoffs.

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

https://www.discovermoosejaw.com/articles/more-layoffs-at-saskatchewan-polytechnic-amid-ongoing-challenge

Behaviour Interactive, known for Dead by Daylight, has laid off an undisclosed number of employees. A company spokesperson confirmed the cuts to Game Developer. These layoffs affect members of its external development team. Demand for mobile and casual external development projects has declined. The Canadian studio previously worked with major partners like NetEase and Nintendo.

Montreal, Canada

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/dead-by-daylight-studio-behaviour-interactive-confirms-layoffs

GeoComply is laying off 15% of its global workforce. The Vancouver-based tech company employs 450 people. This move is part of a "deliberate strategic evolution." The company aims to optimize operations and drive future growth. It plans to incorporate artificial intelligence for improved efficiency.

https://www.casino.org/news/canadian-gaming-geocomply-workforce-layoffs/

SAIT is cutting 30 permanent faculty positions in 2026. The institution faces serious financial challenges. These include a decline in international student enrollment and a provincially-implemented tuition cap. For non-unionized employees, a layoff is typically considered a permanent termination. Affected staff may be owed significant severance pay based on common law entitlements.

https://stlawyers.ca/blog-news/sait-layoffs-severance-pay/

Canadian employment experienced minor growth in March 2026, marking the best Labour Force Survey of the year. The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.7%. Statistics Canada data indicates that weak hiring is the primary issue, not widespread layoffs. The layoff rate in March was 0.6%, comparable to pre-pandemic averages. Average hourly wages increased by 4.7%, but this growth is largely due to shifts in employment composition.

https://betterdwelling.com/canadians-face-fewer-layoffs-than-normal-but-good-luck-finding-a-job/

Layoffs are occurring at Woodbridge Foam in Blenheim. The plant is retooling for housing industry products. Layoffs will begin in May and continue through December. Up to 88 hourly and eight salaried employees could be laid off. The new product line is planned for launch in 2027.

Blenheim

https://windsornewstoday.ca/chatham/news/2026/04/10/blenheim-plant-retooling-results-in-dozens-of-layoffs

My non working period got over last month..but still didn't receive severance, anyone knows how many days does it take in Canada?

I wonder if they’ll move the Brantford call centre, the Brantford police have always wanted the space. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/enbridge-buys-former-costco-site-for-25-5m-bringing-jobs-to-south-london

Ford management is planning big layoff in Ottawa soon,
Most of ce xxxx work and new platform work are moving to lang island. All remote and disgruntled employee be prepared for another big layoff. Don’t feel disheartened if you are in the list. It’s all about money and cutting cost. Lot of boomers may get impacted soon.

looks like OT should offer a voluntary redundancy round - they'd get a few more takers for sure! Maybe write a book on it.

Canada/US market is open for business. closed to opentext - see ya #Energizing Life Every Day!

Federal budget cuts are significantly reducing funding for immigrant settlement services in Ontario. These reductions are forcing agencies to cut programs and lay off staff. The Immigrants Working Centre in Hamilton already laid off six staff and faces more cuts. YWCA Toronto is closing childminding services and laid off four permanent staff. Agencies warn these cuts destabilize a system built over decades and will hurt communities.

Ontario

https://canadianimmigrant.ca/news/ontario-settlement-agencies-federal-cuts-newcomer-services

The Okanagan College Faculty Association won a labor dispute. The grievance concerned layoffs of three arts faculty members in 2025. Okanagan College cited reduced international student enrollment for the staffing adjustments. An arbitrator ruled the college breached its collective agreement. The college will reinstate the affected faculty positions by May 1.

Kelowna, British Columbia

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/607504/Okanagan-College-Faculty-Association-wins-grievance-over-layoffs

Any former HSBC Canada folk wishing they remained in Canada? My time with RBC since the acquisition has been nothing but misery

So why is store for the ones who stay after Early Retirement fold leave. The big reorganization for the ONE HP. Anyone hearing how the new reorg is structured and is it successful in Canada?

The Upper Grand District School Board issued 100 layoff notices. These notices affect elementary teachers and early childhood educators. The action stems from a projected two percent enrollment drop. This decline means 561 fewer students by September 2026. The board hopes to recall many staff members later this year.

https://www.elorafergustoday.com/local-news/must-read-ugdsb-issues-100-layoff-notices-to-elementary-teachers-eces-12095110

Eidos Montreal announced 124 employee layoffs. These cuts are due to changing project needs. Studio leader David Anfossi is also stepping down. He served the studio for 19 years. This marks the third wave of layoffs since March 2025.

https://kotaku.com/eidos-montreal-deus-ex-sequel-layoffs-2000683242

Hello, I just was catching up on the posts here. Canada was hit today? Does anyone know if it is done for now or there are more to come? Reading US will be hit tomorrow, and one post also mentioned NAM (North America). Not trying to be a troll or disrespectful. Just confused and lost.

thats about 10-15% of total workforce in canada that was huge !

What orgs impacted in Canada?

My manager had 8 people and 4 of them had RIF.

Process: zoom invite, manager was sad but had to read out 5 lines provided by oracle restructuring. Manager personally apologized and we made a plan to meet outside for coffee. All access got deactivated in 5 mins.

2 weeks Severance Pay for every year you work.

Today is it happening in Canada.

I will not go into details but several slack accounts have been deactivated on dev teams in the past hour

Ontario college presidents' salaries remained high in 2025 despite widespread layoffs. The college sector faced significant challenges, including campus closures and program cuts. A federal cap on international students heavily impacted college revenues. The top five presidents averaged around $507,000 in compensation. Humber College stated its executive compensation follows sector standards.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11749224/ontario-college-president-salaries-2025/

Mohawk College eliminated 72 positions in recent months. This included 62 full-time roles and 10 vacant positions. The cuts were part of a restructuring process. Fifty-seven employees also took voluntary exit packages. Overall, about 580 positions have been cut since late 2024.

Hamilton, Ontario

https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/mohawk-college-layoffs/article_8c844ab5-e919-50e0-862e-8ccfbf3b8232.html

Are you given an option for improvement plan? If so, can you decline and receive severance?
How frequently are we seeing NSI given to MPT employees in Canada ? Seems more common than in US.

The London Home Builders’ Association warns of significant job losses. Over 60 percent of its members laid off staff last year. Further layoffs are expected in the next six months. The London construction sector lost approximately 5,800 jobs since September. The association urges government action to prevent further economic damage.

London, Ontario

https://ontarioconstructionnews.com/london-homebuilders-warn-of-layoffs-prolonged-slowdown-as-london-market-stalls

Samfiru Tumarkin LLP is investigating recent job cuts at BIOVECTRA. The PEI-based firm began workforce reductions in March 2026. Employment lawyers are reviewing severance offers for affected non-unionized staff. Canadian law often treats such layoffs as permanent terminations. Employees may be owed significantly more severance than initially offered.

https://stlawyers.ca/blog-news/biovectra-layoffs-severance-pay/

Ready for another round?

Over 300 people have already left since the September 29 announcement, projects are scarce, meaningful work even scarcer and the long-term outlook for Canada couldn’t be clearer. Naturally, this seems like the perfect moment to proceed with the ranking cycle.

For those unfamiliar with the tradition: everyone gets ranked against colleagues worldwide, the curve must be filled and a pre-determined slice of the population will inevitably land in the “Needs Significant Improvement” category because nothing says modern leadership like deciding in advance how many underperformers you need.

From there the process is beautifully efficient: a helpful Performance Improvement Plan, a quiet exit and the reassurance that this isn’t a layoff just the system working exactly as designed.

Given the current morale and the steady stream of departures, the timing is almost poetic. If anything, the exercise should help clarify priorities for the few remaining optimists.

After all, when the future of the business in Canada looks this bright, someone will surely be eager to relocate to Edmonton and help keep the Strathcona refinery dream alive.

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) recently laid off 45 faculty and staff members. This decision was made to address a $20 million deficit for the 2026/27 fiscal year. The deficit is primarily attributed to federal government caps on international student enrollment. The layoffs include six teaching faculty, four non-teaching faculty, and 35 staff positions. Despite these reductions and other measures, UFV still faces a $2.4 million deficit and is exploring land development for future revenue.

https://abbynews.com/2026/03/20/layoffs-hit-university-of-the-fraser-valley-amid-20-million-deficit/

Algoma Steel will proceed with most planned layoffs. Approximately 1,000 employees were initially slated for reduction. Some workers will receive extensions for training or other reasons. Workforce reductions are occurring in phases. The company is committed to providing transition assistance.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/industry-news/manufacturing/some-of-algoma-steels-1000-planned-layoffs-will-be-postponed-12033093

Newell Brands announced significant changes for Yankee Candle. The company plans to close 20 stores. These closures affect locations in the United States and Canada. Approximately 900 Yankee Candle employees will be laid off. This action is part of a broader productivity plan.

https://www.ctinsider.com/business/article/yankee-candle-stores-layoffs-ct-21221134.php

We've been hearing rumors that they plan on closing the Canada audit group in Mississauga. Can anyone confirm?

The federal government is extending its work-sharing program. This initiative helps employers avoid mass layoffs. It supports businesses facing unexpected economic slowdowns. The program is now extended until March 31, 2027. This measure aims to maintain stability for workers.

Ottawa, Ontario

https://www.law360.ca/ca/tax/articles/2451939/ottawa-extends-temporary-work-sharing-ei-measures-to-help-employers-avert-mass-layoffs-from-tariffs

Bruyère Health plans to eliminate approximately 55 front-line positions. These roles include nurses and personal support workers. The Ottawa-based organization calls this a "redeployment process." This process may include potential layoffs for affected staff. Non-unionized employees are often owed significant severance pay.

Ottawa, Ontario

https://stlawyers.ca/blog-news/bruyere-health-layoffs-severance-pay/

Saskatchewan Polytechnic continues to experience job cuts. The institution has laid off 151 employees across 2025 and 2026. Recently, 23 full-time and part-time positions were eliminated. The health information management program is also suspended for 2026-27. The Official Opposition urges the Provincial Government to stop further layoffs.

https://www.cjwwradio.com/2026/03/04/242926/

Several across RA&S, GRS, and Health value streams in Canada.

How safe is Canada? I just recently joined last year..is the location safe as they are hiring..